Please help with 3 week old kitten diarrhea!!!

Home › The Daily Kitten Cat Chat Forum › Cats & Kittens › Please help with 3 week old kitten diarrhea!!!

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 33 total)
1 2
  • Author
    Posts
  • 28 January, 2017 at 3:34 am #856082
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Hello, I rescued my kitten at 3 days old as her feral mother was hit by a car and killed. She has done well aside from a URI that went away on its own, and she now weighs 15 oz.

    I first started her on nature essence with colostrum powder formula as my pet store didn’t have petag kmr the night I got her. She didn’t eliminate any stool for the first 2 days I had her and then had jam consistency stool on that formula. I was almost out of formula and decided to pick up petag petlac formula at the store as that was all they had this time. Her first stool on this formula was of play dough consistency and she continued to have solid stool for about 2 weeks.

    4 days ago she had mucus in her stool and it was softer at the end. The next day she started having diarrhea by herself but leaves her bed to do so. I help her finish after. The third day she began straining quite forcefully and it seemed as though she was going to have a large stool that was too big to pass, but she instead has diarrhea and a small amount of blood. I thought she was most likely constipated and the diarrhea was all that could come and started with a couple of drops of olive oil in her formula. She had squirting liquid diarrhea, but still strained at the end. I called a few vets all and were booked this week or unable to see a kitten so young. They suggested feeding pure pumpkin or changing formula and said she may only have diarrhea not constipation. I decided to stop the olive oil and gave her a 50/50 mixture of the 2 types of formula I have. She had less diarrhea, but strained more and had more blood. Her bottom is becoming sore and I’m getting worried that she could be in pain or sick.

    Does anyone know what may be wrong with her, or have any tips on what I can do to help her out. I can’t get an appointment with the vet that will see her at this age until next week!

    28 January, 2017 at 10:38 am #856085
    Moonshadow_NZ
    Moderator

    Hi ToulouseViolette, welcome to TDK.
    For Diarrhea we have recommended some canned plain pumpkin but I can’t remember the amounts. I believe it may be a small spoon mixed in some milk.
    For feeding kittens especially ones that have been rescued we highly recommend goat’s milk. You can get regular goat’s milk in the refrigerated milk section of the grocery, in the baking aisle in cans (it’s condensed so add water 1 to 1) or powdered in the baking section. The goat’s milk is natural, cheaper, and full of good gut flora and l-lysine–an amino acid that is very helpful for kittens and cats in general.
    Please keep us up to date as there will be more members on line later who may have more information.

    28 January, 2017 at 11:13 am #856086
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Thank you! She seems to be having less diarrhea, however it has a slight cottage cheese appearance every few times. I diluted her formula with an extra part water to try to help keep her hydrated through this. I read about giving some plain pedialyte as well. Do you think that would be of any help? Tomorrow morning I will be able to get her something from the store. I’ll keep updating her progress!

    28 January, 2017 at 10:11 pm #856098
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    I noticed as well yesterday that she was getting scalded on her anus and genitals from the diarrhea. Her diarrhea has greatly reduced, and I got goats milk for her this morning. I have been using a damp tissue to clean the area after she pees and then apply diaper cream.

    29 January, 2017 at 4:49 am #856104
    Buttons
    Moderator

    great advice given 🙂 goats milk is great for settling stomachs 🙂 if you can find the baby wipes that are “water wipes” you can use them for her bum they maybe a little gentler than a damp cloth.. also if you can get on touch with your local vet.. kittens can be given a gentle liquid wormer from 2 weeks of age and it’s actually recommend to start worming kittens and puppies
    from 2 weeks old.. it almost a given she will have parasites in her system and if she has something called giardia the bloody mucousy diarrhoea will keep coming back and because she’s so young it can be quite dangerous ..you sound like your doing a greet job…

    than you for helping her .. oh and as well as having the goats milk st hand make sure you’ve honey close by if she starts acting lethargic at any stage the rub some honey in her gums it can help boost their sugar levels enough to get th to a vet on time if she does take a turn

    29 January, 2017 at 4:49 am #856105
    JerseyJoan
    Moderator

    Hi ToulouseViolette – thank you for rescuing this little one and helping her.
    Pedialyte will help keep her hydrated so you’ll have one less thing to worry about. Plain petroleum jelly (Vaselene) can help soothe her bottom too.
    Since the diarrhea has let up she may be leveling off. Hopefully the goat’s milk will regulate and balance her.

    29 January, 2017 at 5:03 am #856106
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Thanks for the replies! She has had no diarrhea today, no poop at all, hopefully that helped her heal up a little. She is loving the goats milk! She has remained and become really active despite the diarrhea she is starting to try to play and bites and walks a little steadier now.

    29 January, 2017 at 9:45 am #856117
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Her scalding is already beginning to get a little bit better and have been using neosporine to treat the moderate scabbing. She was able to poop a small amount which was soft, but greatly improved compared to before, with the formula. I’m curious as to why she had been having the most normal stools on the petlac for almost two weeks, and suddenly began to have diarrhea and cottage cheese like stools. Thank you for everyones advice! I will probably be able to take her to the vet for a check up next week.

    1 February, 2017 at 2:31 am #856186
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Miss Violette is our Daily Kitten! How is she feeling? I hope she’s getting better.

    1 February, 2017 at 11:40 am #856190
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Violette’s scabbing has almost completely healed, she now weighs 16oz, and I noticed one of her top premolars is growing in. Her eyes didn’t even begin to open until 1/16 and then fully opened on 1/18 night. I have found it difficult to calculate her exact age, other than between 12/30/16-1/3/17.

    She has still not pooped, although her diarrhea is 100% gone and she had the small amount of more solid stool the morning I started her on the goats milk (3 days ago). I am hoping this is just from changing food? I have her on refrigerated fresh goats milk.

    Thanks!

    1 February, 2017 at 4:42 pm #856196
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Be sure to warm the milk up because kittens can’t properly digest cold milk.

    It’s possible this is due to change in food. Now that the diarrhea is cleaned up, you may need to help her poop. If you don’t already know this, here’s a link to the Triangle method.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJrSU-nqCc

    1 February, 2017 at 6:39 pm #856199
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Thanks! I warm her milk using warm/hot water in a cup. I have tried gently massaging her belly and letting her explore around and play (she successfully ran without stumbling and falling for the first time today) in a heated room, and have unsuccessfully tried the triangle method, along with gentle stimulation of the area. Hopefully she will go soon, as she seems to be doing very well aside from this.

    I also have a black male 17 week old kitten, who is vaccinated and soon to be neutered. When would be an appropriate time to allow them to interact with one another safely?
    He was rescued at about 5 weeks old (eyes were still blue- but changing, he was 1.6 pounds, had lots of flea dirt, and could run and climb. He was just learning to use his litter box and had a few accidents, and was eating wet food). He has quite high energy levels, and tends to bite. Violette seems ready to play, but has nobody her own size and Toulouse has been long awaiting a playmate. I would like to try to get them together as soon as safely possible.

    Thanks!

    1 February, 2017 at 7:02 pm #856201
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I think Violette is a bit young for her bigger brother so I’d wait a couple weeks. When you introduce them provide adult supervision. Having been on his own, Toulouse may be a bit jealous.

    Also, getting Toulouse neutered will make a difference in his behavior. After he’s neutered you can introduce them.

    She had that diarrhea for a few days so she may not have enough poop to poop.

    2 February, 2017 at 7:52 am #856225
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Thank you! The past few days she has really scratched my hands up a lot when feeding. I feel her ineffective crazed ambition to get to the nipple has gotten worse. I noticed the goats milk is quite foamy, could that cause this nipple issue? Any reccomendations to help her? I’ve tried a new nipple, I use elongated nipples unless they are broken, but she seemed to struggle more with the regular teat.

    2 February, 2017 at 8:03 am #856226
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    She recently has began refusing food for if she gets too frustrated, not to mention scratching me terribly in the same places of my hand each time. I had to cut the tips of her nails as she was drawing blood every time and it makes it even more difficult to feed her, but it obviously won’t fix the real issue. I thought her teat might be worn out, she is slightly improved with the new one but is now requiring that I dribble it into her mouth once halfway through, if I don’t want her to suck in air /scratch me for an hour. It seems that if the bottle is only full to one tablespoon, it stops letting out liquid as quickly. I have tried some different positions/angles (that I can stand with all of the scratching) please help!

    2 February, 2017 at 3:42 pm #856232
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Wee Violette is getting frantic because she hungry. Cut the nipple opening a bit more so there is consistent stream of milk and let her go at it. Oftentimes, the standard nipple doesn’t provide as much milk as kits want so they get frantic. As long as she is on her feet and not on her back she shouldn’t aspirate the milk. The milk may get foamy because she’s trying so hard to suckle.

    3 February, 2017 at 12:35 am #856248
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    I meant that the goats milk gets quite foamy when shaken (in the carton, or bottle) so I thought that maybe the “texture” of the milk was making it flow differently from the formula.
    Anyways, I ended up just cutting off the very very top of an elongated teat, which she would take but not for long. I then carefully cut the straight edges around the tip so that it was more rounded and comfortable for her.
    So, either the way I had cut the nipple made an edge that was bothering her, or the rubber was slightly too thick around the hole.

    Another way I was able to make a great hole in a teat was by using a toothpick, poke into the teat coming from the inside and before it naturally pierces the rubber, I cut it all including the toothpick. This has given the nicest hole and is a somewhat consistant size.

    Unfortunately for me I cut this amazing hole into a regular sized teat and violette isn’t a fan of those!

    If only they came with holes already pierced… 🙂

    3 February, 2017 at 2:00 am #856249
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Haha- so unappreciative 😉

    You’re doing an awesome job raising her and Toulouse as well.

    4 February, 2017 at 6:47 am #856270
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Thank you!

    I’m beginning to get a little worried that violette has still not pooped! She is beginning to run and jump and play with objects, and she is eating up to 9 1/2 tablespoons at 16.5 oz.

    She seems to be growing and doing very well aside from this, but it has been 5 days now! Should I attempt giving her a couple drops of olive oil to see if it will help? Thanks for your help!

    4 February, 2017 at 3:24 pm #856272
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I would put a few drops of Olive Oil in each of her feedings. Also, call the vet and let them know what’s going on. Sometimes, kits have a hard and/or large bit and need help getting it out.

    It’s a good sign that she eating well and romping around.

    PG

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 33 total)
1 2
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.